Results suggest that acute physical exercise enhances executive functioning. The number of studies on chronic physical exercise is limited and it should be investigated whether chronic physical exercise shows effects on executive functions comparable to acute physical exercise. This is highly relevant in preadolescent children and adolescents, given the importance of well-developed executive functions for daily life functioning and the current increase in sedentary behaviour in these age groups.

Background and AimsThe Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) is the most widely used measure to assess neurodevelopment of very preterm (gestational age ≤32 weeks) and very low birth weight (VLBW, ≤1500grams) infants in the first three years of life. This meta-analysis determines the predictive value of the mental subscale (MDI) and motor subscale (PDI) of the BSID for later (≥36 months) motor and cognitive development in very preterm/ VLBW children. Methods PubMed, PsychINFO and CINAHL were searched for English-language peer-reviewed studies published before April 2012. Studies were included if they reported odds ratios or correlations between the MDI/PDI scores obtained in the first three years of life, and standardized intelligence or motor assessment in childhood (≥36 months of age). Meta-analytic methods were applied to aggregate available data. Results A total of 16 studies met inclusion criteria. Across 15 studies encompassing 1335 very preterm/VLBW children, MDI scores were strongly predictive for later cognitive development, r=0.61 (95%CI: 0.57-0.64), p<0.001. The relationship between MDI scores and later cognitive development was not mediated by birth weight (p=0.56), gestational age (p=.70), and time interval between assessments (p=0.55). Across four studies including 465 very preterm/ VLBW children, PDI scores were moderately predictive for later motor function, r=0.32 (95%CI: 0.22-0.40), p<0.001. Conclusions In very preterm/VBLW children, MDI scores explain 37% of the variance in later cognitive functioning, whereas PDI scores explain 10% of later motor development. Thus a large proportion of the variance remains unexplained, underlining the importance of enhancing prediction of developmental outcomes.

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